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Voykit pocket guide · Jordan
Petra
البتراء
Give Petra two full days: one for the Siq–Treasury–Monastery route, one for the High Place of Sacrifice and the Treasury from above. One day only if you must.
Petra is the Nabataean capital carved into sandstone, entered through a 2 km canyon called the Siq. It is a full archaeological site, not a viewpoint: the walkable core alone is 8–10 km of trails and stairs, and the Monastery climb adds 800 steps. Almost everyone sleeps in Wadi Musa, the town at the gate, and buys a timed multi-day ticket rather than trying to see it in a few hours.
- Country
- Jordan
- Local name
- البتراء
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (35–38 °C and no shade), and flash-flood days in the canyonsJul–Aug (95–100 °F and no shade), and flash-flood days in the canyons
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JOD
- Money
- Jordanian dinar (JOD) is divided into 1,000 fils (or 100 piastres); one dinar is a high-value note.
- Daily spend
- Budget 25–45 JD excl. bed (ticket amortised over your stay) · Mid 45–90 JD excl. bed · High 90 JD+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Zain, Orange and Umniah sell tourist SIMs at Queen Alia arrivals; passport registration is required.
- Emergency
- Police, ambulance and fire 911
- Plugs
- Types C, D, F, G, J · 230 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin plugs fit most sockets; UK three-pin (G) is common in newer hotels. Bring a universal adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Round up or 5–10% if no service charge; many mid-range places add 10%.; Taxi / Careem: Round up to the next half or whole dinar.; Guide, half day: JOD 5–10 per person.; Driver, full day: JOD 10–20.; Wadi Rum camp staff and jeep driver: JOD 5–10 per group, per day.; Hotel porter: JOD 1 per bag.
- Water
- Treated at source but stored in rooftop tanks; drink bottled or filtered. Water is scarce — short showers help.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets at some bus stations. A hose replaces paper in many places. Petra has toilet blocks along the main trail.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Petra entry, 1 day (overnight visitor) | 50 JD |
| Petra entry, 2 days / 3 days | 55 JD / 60 JD |
| Jordan Pass (1 / 2 / 3 days in Petra) | 70 / 75 / 80 JD |
| Coffee or tea in Wadi Musa | 1–3 JD |
| Simple meal (falafel, shawarma, mansaf plate) | 3–10 JD |
| Taxi within Wadi Musa | 1–2 JD |
| Guided tour inside Petra | from 25 JD |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | 8–15 JD |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AMM · Queen Alia International, Amman
- About 3.5 h by road to Wadi Musa; JETT bus from Amman takes about 3.5 h.
- AQJ · King Hussein International, Aqaba
- About 2 h by road; shared minibus and taxi options exist.
Typical fares
- Wadi Musa hotel → Petra gate, taxi
- 1–2 JD
- Amman → Wadi Musa, JETT bus
- about 10 JD one way, about 3.5 h
- Aqaba → Petra, taxi
- about 55 JD one way
Get around
Inside Petra you walk, or hire a donkey, camel or cart for set segments — prices are negotiated, not fixed. In Wadi Musa, most hotels run a free shuttle to the gate; otherwise it is a 15-minute downhill walk or a 1–2 JD taxi. There is no public transport inside the site.
See and do
Known for
- The Siq canyon
- Al-Khazneh (the Treasury)
- Ad-Deir (the Monastery)
- Nabataean and Roman rock-cut tombs
- Petra by Night candle walk
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Wadi Rum | Shared minibus or your tour operator's transfer, about 2 h | About 2 h |
| Aqaba | Minibus via Ma'an, or a direct minibus in the early morning | 2.5–3.5 h |
| Little Petra (Al-Beidha) | Taxi or car, about 15 min north of Wadi Musa | About 30 min |
| Dana Reserve | Car or taxi on the King's Highway | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Wadi Musa town centre (near the gate)
- Walking distance to the visitor centre, 5–15 min; best if you want the 06:00 opening without a taxi.Walking distance to the visitor centre, 5–15 min; best if you want the 6:00 AM opening without a taxi.
- Wadi Musa upper town / Tourist Road
- More hotels and restaurants, 15–25 min downhill walk to the gate or a 1–2 JD taxi.
- Wadi Musa outskirts (Beidha road)
- Quieter and cheaper, but you will need a car or taxi for every entry.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | مرحباmarhaba |
| Thank you | شكراshukran |
| How much is it? | كم السعر؟kam al-si'r? |
| No, thank you | لا، شكراla, shukran |
| Where is the entrance? | أين المدخل؟ayna al-madkhal? |
| I need water | أحتاج ماءahtaj ma' |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Salam alaykum or marhaba; handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Kissing or hugging someone of the other sex in greeting
- Hospitality: Accept tea or coffee; eat a little when invited; avoid: Refusing all food and drink outright
- Right hand: Eat, pass things and pay with the right hand; avoid: Using the left hand to offer food
- Feet: Keep soles on the ground when sitting; avoid: Pointing the soles of your feet at people
- Mosques: Covered arms and legs, headscarf for women, shoes off; avoid: Entering during prayer times unless invited
- Dress in town: Long trousers or skirts, shirts with sleeves; avoid: Shorts and swimwear away from resorts
- Photography: Ask first, especially with women and Bedouin families; avoid: Photographing police, soldiers or checkpoints
- Politics: Listen; opinions on Palestine run deep; avoid: Joking about the King or the royal family
Scams and watch-outs
- Animal handlers may claim the horse ride to the Siq is included in your ticket, then demand a large tip: agree a total price first or just walk the 15 minutes.
- Touts on some trails say a guide is mandatory. It is not, except where a route is officially closed.
- Buy tickets only at the official visitor centre; ignore anyone selling passes in town.
- Summer heat and the Monastery stairs are the real hazards: start at opening, carry 2–3 L of water.
- Canyons can flood after rain; follow staff instructions and do not enter Wadi Muthlim in wet weather.
Petra is heavily policed and safe for tourists by day. The real risks are heat, stairs, canyon flooding after rain, and money arguments over animal rides — agree prices before you start.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Petra yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- The Siq canyon
- Al-Khazneh (the Treasury)
- Ad-Deir (the Monastery)
- Nabataean and Roman rock-cut tombs
- Petra by Night candle walk
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Jordan Pass: www.jordanpass.jo/
- JETT bus timetable: www.jett.com.jo/en/schedule
- Wikivoyage: Petra, revision 5337235 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5337235
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Petraالبتراء
إلى هذا العنوان، لو سمحت
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, ambulance and fire911
Most embassies are in Amman; the US embassy is in Amman (check the address). Consular help in Aqaba is limited.
Carry your passport: the ticket office checks your entry date and your name on multi-day tickets.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/petra). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.